Venison Tenderloin off the Grill

Have you ever had Venison Tenderloin? I had never tried it up until filming this video, and let me tell you I was surprised at how good it is. It might seem like one of those pieces that might be gamey and not as tender as beef - but don’t let that fool you, the results are truly delicious!

My first thoughts about this tenderloin was: “wow, there’s no fat whatsoever” - and like I usually say, fat is flavor, so you can see where my head was going. I’m not going to lie, but I was a bit skeptical on how venison would taste and if it would be gamey and dry as most people would describe it. So, I decided to go into this clear headed and just give it a try, and I’ve got to say I was over the moon surprised. 

Just note that because there is no fat on the tenderloin, it is hard for seasonings to stick and really create that nice flavor. In this case we will be massaging it with Olive oil to make sure all the flavors are packed in. Let’s get to cooking!

Video Recipe

Directions: 

1. Light up your charcoal, you’re going to need a section for indirect heat and direct heat. 
2. While the charcoal is getting nice and hot, grab your knife and remove any of the silver skin, carefully so little of that good meat comes off. 
3. Take your olive oil and drizzle some on top of the tenderloin, start massaging with your hands and make sure to cover all the meat with it. 
4. Sprinkle the Maldon Salt, Pepper and Garlic Powder, feel free to put quite a bit more than usual. 
5. Place your tenderloin on indirect heat until it reaches an internal temperature of 110F.
6. Once done, place them over direct heat, to give the tenderloin a nice sear and great char and grill marks - make sure to not leave it for too long, the lack of fat in the tenderloin makes it easier to overcook. 
7. Remove from grill, let it rest for about 5 minutes, slice and serve! 

Expect the unexpected…

As we cut into these tenderloins, there is not much juice coming out as it would with beef, but the air fills out with an intense smell and you can just smell the venison and all the spices combined and our mouths start watering. At first grab, it feels soft and tender and you can also see some juices coming out. 

I took the first bite, and all of it was incredible: it was so tender, not dry and definitely not gamey. It’s hard to explain the consistency of it, it is super tender but it has an edge to it which I can’t really pinpoint. This Venison tenderloin really really surpassed my expectations in the best of ways. 

I 100% recommend you try this cut of Venison, just make sure to get a good quality piece from your butcher. The one we grilled is pasture raised and was provided by meatthebutchers.com. Do not be afraid to try it, if done right deer can make an amazing meal everyone around your table will love. 

Let me know in the comments if you’ve ever tried Venison tenderloin? If so, how did you cook it and did you like it?